Area Sport Fishing Reports
Mat-Su

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 15, 2014

Northern Cook Inlet area

Week of July 16 to July 22
Issued July 16, 2014

Emergency Orders and regulation reminders

• Bait is allowed in many – but not all – Susitna River tributaries. Check for exceptions to the general regulations before heading out.
• Anglers are reminded that bait is not allowed on the Little Susitna River until August 6, and the daily bag and possession limit for silver (or “coho”) salmon is two fish.
• Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks are weekend-only fisheries, from 6:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Wasilla Creek is open to fishing for salmon, other than king salmon, from its mouth upstream to the Alaska Railroad bridge; and Cottonwood Creek from its mouth upstream one mile. Motorized watercraft capable of producing more than 42 pounds of thrust or 3 horsepower may not be used on Wasilla Creek on Saturdays and Sundays, July 15 - August 15.
• Coho salmon 16 inches or longer once removed from fresh water must be retained and become part of the bag limit of the person who originally hooked the fish. A person may not remove a coho salmon 16 inches or longer from the water before releasing it.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Chums and pinks are increasing in numbers at the mouths of Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north to Talkeetna and will provide opportunity for anglers eager to wet a line and perhaps catch an early coho.
• It is early, but a few coho salmon have been caught at the Deshka and pinks are beginning to pick up in numbers. As of July 14, 70 coho and 678 pinks had been counted through the weir.
• A few coho are being picked up at the Eklutna Tailrace each day. Salmon fishing, including king salmon, is open year round at the Tailrace.
• The Little Su has a good variety of fish in-river, primarily chum. As of July 14, 1,128 chum, 49 coho, and 19 pinks had been counted through the weir. It is still early for coho..
• On the Talkeetna River, sockeye should start showing at the mouth of Larson Creek this week; chum salmon are now being caught at the mouth of Clear Creek.
• On the west side of Cook Inlet, coho should begin entering the Chuit and Theodore rivers. Once limits of coho salmon are taken in these waters, anglers must stop fishing for the day.

Trout, Dolly Varden, Grayling

• Fishing for rainbow trout on the Parks Highway streams from Willow Creek north remains good. Fishing for Dolly Varden and Arctic grayling should be good. Parks Highway streams are normal and clear.
• Willow Creek has multiple access points off Willow Fishhook Rd. Montana Creek may be accessed at several locations off the Talkeetna Spur Rd; single day float trips are popular on Willow and Montana creeks.
• For the adventurer, try a hike up the North or Middle forks of Montana Creek or a float trip on lower Sheep Creek.
• Freshwater tributaries of the Chulitna, such as Honolulu Creek should also provide good rainbow trout opportunity.

Northern Pike

• Pike can be taken using spears, bow-and-arrow (the arrow must be attached to the bow by a line) bait, spinning tackle, and fly-fishing gear. Pike fishing can slow considerably with warmer water temperatures. Try top-water, weedless lures and flies in heavily vegetated bays and sloughs. Herring suspended under a bobber is a surefire bet.
• Anglers may retain as many pike as they catch — there is no bag or possession limit. In the freshwaters of West Cook Inlet and Susitna River drainage, anglers are not allowed to release live pike back into the water.
• For road-accessible pike fishing, try Nancy Lake and other lakes of the Nancy Lake Recreation Area, Long Lake near Willow, Memory and Prator lakes.
• Boat-accessible pike fishing can be found in the side sloughs of the Deshka River, Alexander Creek, Fish Creek (Kroto Slough) and in Hewitt Lake.
• For fly-in pike fishing try Alexander, Eightmile, Trapper, Flathorn and Sucker lakes.

Lake Fishing

• Lake fishing has been excellent! Try sinking flies such as dragon and damsel nymphs, or leech patterns for big rainbows.
• For a 4-wheel ride in fishing adventure check out Wishbone and Ruby Lakes.
• Over 80 lakes are stocked in the Mat-Su. To view the recent stocking records, please visit our website at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=SportStockingHatcheriesSearch.main